Hough-ing It Through Life
by Areylia
Summary: Kourtney is a choreographer for big time stars and the best of friends with Julianne Hough. Kourtney is a young, fun-loving woman who likes being a free spirit and not in a relationship. Now, she is going home for the first time in a few years and little did she know what she would find going home to Salt Lake. Was it love or heartache? O/C (Kourtney Noel Evans)/Derek Hough
1. Chapter 1

One of my best friends in the world, Julianne, has invited me to a small family gathering since both of our schedules are clear at the same time in such a long time. We haven't seen one another since a few years before she started on Dancing With The Stars. We grew up in a town just outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. We would have crazy sleepovers and talk about EVERYTHING.  
My plane finally lands in Salt Lake, and as I am looking for my friend, I notice someone else instead.  
"Oh my gosh! Derek?!" I call surprised.  
"Kourtney? Little Kourtney Evans?" His eyes look like they were about to pop out of his head.  
"Well, I ain't so little anymore, Derek. Where's Julianne?"  
"She sent me. She wanted to make sure the house was spotless for you."  
"You're kidding?"  
"Sadly, no."  
"Oh. Well, atleast she sent sent someone possibly reliable." I joke.  
"Possibly? If I was only possibly, I probably wouldn't be here. I mean, you are HER friend." I sensed some anger.  
"Okay, sorry. I guess we should just go." I say not wanting to start my little vacation on a sour note.  
"Sorry, it's just been a rough few days."  
"Don't worry about it." I start heading out of the airport. "Lead the way." I follow him to his car.  
"Would you like to pick the radio station?" He asks.  
"Nah, it's cool." Why I still had a snippy tone in my voice, I am not sure. But, right now, I feel that it is justified.  
"Okay. What have you been doing now?"  
"Back and forth living in Tampa and New York."  
"How about for a living?"  
"I choreograph music videos, award shows, concerts, the works."  
"You do a lot of traveling?"  
"Eh. I guess so."  
"Do you still practice ball-"  
"Hello?" I answer my phone. "Hey Jules, yeah we are on our way." We talk for a little while longer before hanging up.  
"That my sister?" Derek finally speaks up.  
"Yeah."  
"Checking to see if I got you?"  
"Yep."  
"Kourtney, I am sorry. Like I said it's been a rough couple of days. I am sure if you and your boyfriend were fighting non-stop you would be a little snappy too. And I apologize because you did nothing wrong." I look over to see the sadness and anger on his face.  
"What happened?"  
"You know how relationships are."  
"Actually, I'm not seeing anyone. In fact, the last boyfriend was my junior year of high school." I laugh.  
"Why is that?"  
"I don't want anything serious right now. I am a young, adventurous woman. I am not ready to be tied down."  
"That's how I need to be I guess."  
"Okay, talk to me."  
"Another time maybe. We are here." He motions to the residence ahead of us. When the car comes to a stop, I climb out and quickly tackled by my dear friend.  
"HAHA! Jules!" I laugh.  
"I am so glad you are here. We have so much to talk about and things to do! Let's go eat and catch a movie tonight."  
"Okay."  
"Then maybe a few drinks."  
"Drinks?"  
"I said a few."  
"Hey, I am game for whatever."  
"Okay, go freshen up and change if you want to change. Although, I love that outfit you have on."  
"I thought you might." We both grab my bags and carry them inside. We walk to her old room and she looks through all of her clothes she brought while I head to the bathroom to fix my makeup and hair. As I walk out of the bathroom, I slam into Derek's chest.  
"I am so sorry."  
"It's my fault. I should have checked to see in anyone was in there."  
"Well, you have perfect timing. It's all yours." I say as we trade spots, our eyes locked.  
"Kourt, please don't hate me." Julianne says walking up behind us.  
"Why would I hate you?"  
"Ryan just flew in and we have to have a talk. And he only has so much time because of Idol."  
"It's fine."  
"But I hate that I made plans with y-"  
"We can hang." Derek jumps in. Julianne and I both look at him like he lost his damn mind.  
"You want to hang out with her?"  
"Sure. Why not? I mean, we never really got to know one another and we have known each other for like twenty years."  
"Kourt, what do you think? I could always drop you off at your mother's." I look up at Derek.  
"No, thanks. Derek is right. We do need to hang out...at least once." Still not believing he just volunteered like that.  
"Well, okay. Thanks, Der. Bye, Kourt. I'm still sorry." She says before running off.  
"So..." Derek says breaking the long awkward silence that has occurred.  
"Still gotta pee, Hough?" I smile.  
"Oh, yeah." I walk back to Julianne's room. Within thirty minutes, there was a knock on the bedroom door. "Well, well, well. Look at you." Derek was wearing a white button up shirt with the top few buttons undone and light-colored blue jeans that seemed to fit him like a glove. Not to tight, not to baggy. Wait, am I really checking him out right now?  
"You changed."  
"Oh, yeah. I thought maybe I shouldn't be so fancy looking." I changed from a gorgeous black cocktail dress with hot pink lace trim along the hemline to a neon green t-shirt that is actually very low-cut and blue jeans.  
"You still look ama-um.." he clears his throat.  
"Amazing?"  
"Yeah. Are you ready?"  
"Sure. Where are we going?"  
"I thought we would go eat some Mexican food." Oh, if I had only knew...


	2. Chapter 2

"So, you said you have had a rough few days," I start as he pulls my chair out for me to sit down. "Wanna share, now? Please?"  
"My girlfrien-well, I guess she's my ex girlfriend now-and I have been arguing."  
"Why?"  
"I told her about me coming home for a few days and that I wanted time to my family without her. I mean, she just moved in. She accompanies me to rehearsels and she is just ALWAYS around. Don't get me wrong, I was looking for us to spend more time together when I asked her to move in, but she took it to mean stay by my side every little second. She has even told my partner Kellie to watch her hands and to know where her place is."  
"No offense but she sounds like a biyotch." I laugh. "I'm sorry. I just don't get how people can act like that. That's why I like being a young single woman. No tights reigns or boundaries. And no douchebags acting like they own me."  
"What if you meet the guy who you are supposed to be with and the way you see things makes you lose him forever?"  
"Like a soulmate? I'm on the fence about soulmates. I mean, the world is huge with so many opportunies. And all it takes is one decision to through everything off. I mean, let's say my soulmate is right here in Salt Lake but I decide to take a summer job in Barcelona teaching at a dance studio for dance majors abroad. I will probably lose him then, or I can stay here and may not even meet him and lose a great opportunity. Or maybe he is in Barcelona and I decide that I am not ready to go that far on my own just yet without friends. Not to mention, you choosing to do something that could lead you to your soulmate but finanical reasons changes that. If soulmates were real, wouldn't God make sure you got to them?"  
"You really have done a lot of thinking, huh?"  
"I get bored a lot when I am alone." I laugh. "But do you see my point why I am a little skeptical?"  
"Yeah, but without risk, you never know. It's an opportunity missed." I just stare at him.  
"Maybe we should order something to drink." I say breaking the silence as salsa music begins.  
"How about we work up a thirst and appetite first?" He says standing up and taking my hand. I just laugh. He leads me to the dance floor and dance along with the other people dancing. After the sound ends, he heads to the bar to get drinks while I go to the table to order food.  
"One strawberry daquairi for you and one beer for me."  
"I got our food ordered. Um, Derek?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Thanks for hanging out with me tonight."  
"Thanks for wanting to hang out."

We talk and eat and drink for a long while before dancing again and resuming the eating, talking, and drinking. Before I knew it, it was last call, then closing. Derek called up a cab that drove us back to his mother's house. We get there and he pays the driver before leading me up the steps. Upon unlocking the door, he helps me inside as I almost fall causing me to laugh.  
"Looks my everyone is out." He says, shutting the door.  
"Just us two? That's scary." I say as he walks up to me and wraps his arms around me. He picks me up and carries me upstairs before slamming me against the wall and kissing me with a lot of heat and passion. Never pushing him away, he then carries me into his old room. The rest of the night was a blur.

"Derek? Hey, Der, have you seen-OH MY GOD!" We hear a scream waking us up from our drunking slumber.  
"Jules!" I say realizing what happened. "Wait!" I jump up and look for my clothes. I quickly get dressed and run out of the room and after her. "Julianne-"  
"I can't believe you."  
"I know. I know and I am so sorry. I don't know what happened."  
"You slept with my brother, that's what happened."  
"I mean, I don't-"  
"Some friend you are. I can't believe you came here just to hook up-"  
"That's not why I came! You left and I don't know!"  
"I don't want to talk or see you right now." She says with anger and fire in her eyes. I just turn around and head back to the house. Once in her room, I take my phone out of my pocket and call for a cab. I gather all my stuff and pack it away. Just has I carried my last bag down the stairs, Julianne walks in.  
"You are still here?"  
"The cab will be here-" Cab horn honks. "Now. I am so sor-"  
"Don't. You lied to me." I just shook my head and left. I never lied to her. Things just happened. And I wasn't the only one involved here. I finally landed in New York after booking a last minute flight and found my car I left in the garage. I put my bags into the back and drive home. Realizing my phone was still turned off, I turn it on to see twenty missed calls from the same unknown number and ten text messages. I decide to call it to find out who it is.  
"Finally, we were worried. Are you okay?"  
"I'm fine, Derek."  
"Where are you?"  
"New York."  
"Why?"  
"Because of Julianne and what we did. She was completely hurt and wanted me gone."  
"So you went home?"  
"Why else would I stay?"  
"I don't know. Your mom, maybe?"  
"She is out of town. Besides, I had things I needed to do anyway." Just as a knock was on the door. "Hey, someone is at the door let me call you back." I say hanging up on him. I look through the peephole. "How did-"  
"I figured this is where you would go and got a flight leaving right after yours." He says.  
"Derek-"  
"Just let her cool down. We-can I come in?" I move to let him in. "Nice place." He says looking around.  
"Thanks."  
"What I was about to say is, we are two consenting adults. Yeah, we were drunk but it happened. It's not like it happened repeatedly." This cause me to clear my throat. "Okay, after the third time, it stopped. You shouldn't have rushed off like that. You know she would have cooled down and would want to talk."  
"Like I said I had things to do anyway. And she is in the right."  
"How is that?"  
"I slept with her brother, Derek! That's just about as low as you can go."  
"Just do me a favor."  
"What would that be?"  
"Be my guest to the first taping of Dancing With The Stars. Let me take you out to eat and talk."  
"No thanks. That's kind of what got me in this situation with Jules."  
"Please, we can talk about how to fix this."  
"Derek, no. Will you please just go away?"  
"Kourtn-"  
"Don't make me yell at you, Derek. Just go."  
"You think I am scared of you yelling?"  
"Fine, go or I will call the police. Your choice." He stands there for a second longer before leaving, slamming the door on his way out.

For the next week, I don't speak a word to Julianne or Derek. But I did run into an old friend the other day and he is taking me out to a dinner and show tonight. All I know is we are having Italian food. What show we are seeing, that's still a mystery. He will be here any minute to pick me up, so I am quickly finishing my look. My hair is in loose cascading curls then pulled to the left side, my makeup includes a gold and silver smokey eye and nude lip. My attire includes a light pink hi-low dress with little yellow detailing, light yellow high heels, and the cutest two-tone silver and gold clutch. I have to say, I look really hot.  
When he gets here, I move quickly to get going. I am ready to have a few drinks in me because I suddenly feel like a married woman having an affair. I feel like I am having to look over my shoulder. We go to dinner, and it was amazing-well, the food was. We just ate; no talking. BORING!  
"So, what show are we seeing?" I ask hoping he was ready to call it a night.  
"I have two tickets for a show that will help me become more aquainted with your lifestyle."  
"Huh?" I say, very confused.  
"Dancing With The Stars." He smiles holding up the tickets.  
"Oh boy."


	3. Chapter 3

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry this is short. I felt bad about not updating for a while but I have been in the hospital, then my daughter become ill, we are just now getting back to normal. I wanted to give you guys a little something while I can think of a great chapter so..here we go!**_

* * *

"Sitting in the front row, huh?" I say with a shaky voice. "Grrr-eat seats..." I strain faking excitement.  
"Thought you would like it! Do you know any of the pros?" Did he really have to ask that?  
"Um, yeah. Mark Ballas and Derek Hough were in the same studio with Julianne and I."  
"Both guys, huh?"  
"Well, Sharna and I were once roommates."  
"Think you could introduce me?" He smiles like a fat kid in a candy store. I just turn and look at the dance floor.

We watch everyone perform until I realize Derek hasn't been out there.  
"And performing jazz, Kellie Pickler and her partner Derek Hough."  
"I gotta go to the bathroom." I say standing up as the light turn down. I take my seat again and watch the almost sexual filled routine. I have to say, it was very amazing and sexy. We listen to the judges comments and I notice that although he was listening and reacting, Derek was looking straight at me. Andrew kept bugging me about Sharna. I quickly introduce them and give her the 'watch him, he crazy' look and start toward Derek. But before I could reach him, Julianne stops me.  
"Hey, Jules." I say looking down.  
"Kourt, can you look at me please?" I look up at her. "I overreacted and I am so sorry. I mean, I don't like that you slept with my brother but things happen, especially when alcohol is involved, right? Listen, if you want to date Derek-"  
"We aren't dating. It was one stupid night and I haven't seen him since. I have a date-had-had a date tonight."  
"Had?"  
"He really wanted to meet Sharna."  
"So, you kicked him to the curb?"  
"Actually, I introduced them and gave Sharna the look." I laugh.  
"Oh, man. I hope she is having fun." We both look over at them to see Sharna totally acting like a man to mess with his head. He started backing off and she just kept creeping on him until he excused himself to the bathroom. After ten minutes, we knew he wasn't coming back. But we got a great laugh.  
"So what you did lovely ladies think?" Derek says walking up.  
"About what?" Sharna says still laughing.  
"Kellie and my dance."  
"Oh good. I really have to pee." She says laughing her way to the bathroom.  
"It was amazing, Der. I loved it. Where's Kellie?"  
"With her husband. They will be over here in a second." He looks at me. "Surprising to see you here."  
"It was a surprise for me too. But I loved what you two did. It was the best jazz I have seen. Totally 30 for me."  
"Thanks. It's been a while since I last saw you. How you been?"  
"It's only been a week and I am good. Better now that Julianne and I are talking again. What about you?"  
"Good." He answers has a girl walks up. "Kourt, I would like you to meet Sara...my girlfriend."  
"Oh. Hi."  
"Yeah, hi." she says with such a rude arrogance. "Der, I thought I told you to not do anything sexy unless I am your partner? But anyway, can we go already?"  
"Sara, hold on. Do you guys want to grab something to eat?"  
"Actually, we already made plans with Sharna to talk about the crazy date guy that brought Kourt here."  
"Crazy date guy?" He says smiling and crossing his arms in front of his chest. Although he was smiling, you wouldn't thought so by looking at his eyes.  
"Yeah, some old friend who brought me here to hit on Sharna. Long story."  
"Gonna have to ask Sharna then." He laughs.  
"Derek!?"  
"Okay, okay. I guess we are out of here then. Bye, sis...Kourt." I wave as his girlfriend glares at me.  
"That isn't the girl he was dating before was it?"  
"Yeah, when he went home, he found her still living in his apartment and they talked. Didn't know they were back together though."  
"Me neither. You're jealous."  
"No. Just...concerned." I say as I walk away to catch up to Sharna.  
"Yeah...you're jealous!"


End file.
